Hellbent by Gregg Hurwitz

Hellbent by Gregg Hurwitz is book three in the Evan Smoak Orphan X series.   Every installment can be read as a stand alone, but are more enjoyable when read in order.  In Hellbent the need to eliminate Evan, previously an active government assassin known as Orphan X, is becoming more imperative for Sciver. The current project runner of the Orphan program catches up with Evan's former handler Jack. Sciver plans to torture Evan's location out of him and assassinate Jack to induce a reaction from Evan that forces him out of hiding.

Hellbent takes on an emotional undercurrent that the other two books have only touched on. Evan is facing his past, his desire for a better life and the consequences the Orphan program created for him.  He is now painfully aware of how unequipped he is at dealing with human connections. The addition of Joey serves as a reflection of his past and the turning point in his life that made him what he is. I was just as invested in Joey's salvation as Evan. I want more than anything for both characters to experience a human connection, a sense of normalcy and to not feel so alone.

As always with this series, the action of Hellbent is fast-paced and smart. I spend most of my time on the edge of my seat. Often I do not see a solution for Evan's conflicts, which is quite nerve-wracking. And I love it. Now my eight-day binge reading of this series is over. Only a few months to go before the next installment, which is already on my to-read list. I was granted a copy of this book by St Martin's Press, through Netgalley, for my honest opinion. I encourage all readers to reach their own conclusions.

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